Beatrice Angela Kanak died on Monday, April 27, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Center, Atwood, Kansas. She was 90 years old.
Beatrice was born on November 11, 1929 in Stratton, Nebraska to Joseph and Rosie (Kacirek) Janousek. She grew up on a farm in rural Atwood, Kansas. She was one of nine children. She shared many memories of her childhood and her love for animals. After grade school she attended high school at Notre Dame High School in Omaha, Nebraska. She went on to continue her education at Hays, Kansas where she got her teaching degree and then taught country school at Achilles, Kansas. Beatrice was a member of Sacred Heart Church.
She met the love of her life, Joe Kanak, at a dance at St. John’s Hall in rural Atwood. They soon fell in love and were married on June 4, 1951 at St. John's Nepomucene Church, rural Atwood. To this union, six children were born, Joe III, Rose Anne, John, Vincent, Margaret and James.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Joe of 59 years, her grandson, Jason Kanak, son-in-law, Harlan Hagler, her siblings Victor (Margie) Vrbas, Bernard (Evelyn) Vrbas, Vacy (Martha) Vrbas, Blase (Alice) Vrbas, Adeline (Ray) Stehno, Sylvia (Joseph) Kletchka, Rose Marie (Rudy) Faimon and Jerome (Viola) Janousek.
Bea was a very busy and energetic woman....a farm wife raising six children (each eleven months apart). Once her children were in school for several years, she started working at the Rawlins County Hospital as a nurse aide for many years. As time went on she took a job at the Rawlins County Treasurer's office and still worked part time in the hospital. She was a very compassionate person and loved to help and care for others. Even after her retirement, she took care of her older neighbors and friends for many years. She also took on many roles in the community -- she was very active in the church, the Catholic School, held many positions in Altar Society, was a Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader and answered any call to be a volunteer and serve wherever she could.
She was a very talented seamstress and sewed a lot of her children's clothes. Among the many things she loved to do was sew, crochet and do crafts. Her and Joe spent a lot of time in their home shop using their shared talent in making woodworking crafts for craft fairs and fulfilling many friends requests for projects. They spent a lot of time at Christmas in their woodshop secretly making gifts for their kids and grandkids which are such treasured keepsakes. She had so much loved her children and each and every one of her grandchildren.
Bea and Joe loved to go to dances and were quite the Polka dancers scooting across the floor with ease. We can only imagine they are now smiling, laughing and having their heavenly dance!
She was so loved and will be missed by those who survived her.... her six children, Joe III, Rose Anne (Mike) Schnee, John (De, Vincent, Margaret Hagler and James (Nancy, daughter-in-law, Lynette Kanak, Lisa Kanak McGrath, grandchildren, Linda (Ryan) Bolen, Cody (Erin) Schnee, Josh (Krissy) Cox, Morgan (Bryan) Schweizer, Jacob (Echo) Hagler, Jordan (Andrea) Hagler and Jamison Kanak (Gentry) and 19 great-grandchildren, one sister-in-law, Lucy (Kanak) O'Brien of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Due to current events associated with the Covid-19 virus, there will be a private family funeral service only. Memorials may be made to the Sacred Heart Altar Society in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701.